Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Kelowna Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Kelowna

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,108 in Montreal versus $2,414 in Kelowna.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,226 in Montreal versus $3,520 in Kelowna.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,344 in Montreal versus $4,625 in Kelowna.

Living in Montreal costs roughly 13% less than in Kelowna, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 53% above, Kelowna 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.83 CA$24.73

$17.08 CA$23.68

4.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.6 CA$102

$59.1 CA$82.0

24.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.81 CA$15.00

$11.38 CA$15.78

-5.01%

Cappuccino

$3.92 CA$5.44

$4.20 CA$5.82

-6.67%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 CA$2.84

$2.03 CA$2.81

0.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 CA$2.11

$1.71 CA$2.37

-11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.59 CA$9.14

$4.82 CA$6.68

36.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.14 CA$9.90

$5.67 CA$7.87

25.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.37 CA$3.28

$2.09 CA$2.89

13.40%

White Bread (500g)

$3.23 CA$4.48

$2.90 CA$4.02

11.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.10

$3.48 CA$4.83

-15.23%

Eggs

$3.69 CA$5.12

$3.31 CA$4.59

11.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 CA$18.93

$9.35 CA$12.97

45.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.94 CA$16.56

$13.43 CA$18.62

-11.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.07 CA$19.52

$21.72 CA$30.13

-35.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.61 CA$5.01

$3.51 CA$4.87

2.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 CA$2.15

$1.52 CA$2.11

1.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 CA$4.56

$3.56 CA$4.93

-7.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.26

$4.89 CA$6.78

-37.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 CA$2.78

$3.12 CA$4.33

-35.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 CA$2.64

$3.21 CA$4.45

-40.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.66

$2.63 CA$3.64

0.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CA$1.93

$1.95 CA$2.70

-28.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.80 CA$16.36

$14.35 CA$19.90

-17.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.80 CA$14.98

$13.80 CA$19.14

-21.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 CA$3.29

$2.67 CA$3.70

-11.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 CA$4.02

$3.10 CA$4.30

-6.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.79

$1.77 CA$2.45

54.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.1 CA$107

$50.5 CA$70.0

52.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 CA$4.59

$2.87 CA$3.98

15.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$1.84 CA$2.55

-20.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.98 CA$45.74

$34.55 CA$47.92

-4.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 CA$1.82

$1.21 CA$1.68

8.26%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$28.7K CA$39.8K

$28.4K CA$39.4K

1.02%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$20.4K CA$28.4K

$18.6K CA$25.8K

9.91%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$79.9 CA$111

$129 CA$179

-38.13%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$34.79 CA$48.25

$46.25 CA$64.1

-24.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.55 CA$59.0

$57.5 CA$79.7

-25.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.20 CA$40.50

$57.6 CA$79.9

-49.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.33 CA$28.20

$30.93 CA$42.89

-34.27%

Cinema Ticket

$11.48 CA$15.93

$12.19 CA$16.90

-5.82%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$565 CA$784

$1,050 CA$1,456

-46.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K CA$23.0K

-0.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 CA$83.5

$50.4 CA$69.8

19.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.87 CA$58.1

$41.38 CA$57.4

1.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 CA$144

$86.7 CA$120

19.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$156

$103 CA$143

8.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,294 CA$1,795

$1,349 CA$1,871

-4.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 CA$1,407

$1,214 CA$1,683

-16.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,271 CA$3,149

$2,339 CA$3,244

-2.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,683 CA$2,334

$2,005 CA$2,781

-16.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,156 CA$7,151

$3,995 CA$5,540

29.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,842 CA$5,328

$3,224 CA$4,471

19.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,032 CA$4,205

$3,062 CA$4,246

-0.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.44

4.69

-5.33%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Montreal: September 6, 2026

Last update for Kelowna: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,294 in Montreal and $1,349 in Kelowna. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kelowna pays 1% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $74.0 in Montreal vs $59.0 in Kelowna. Groceries flip the comparison at $358 vs $400, with Montreal cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Montreal vs Kelowna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal and Kelowna differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($2,108 vs $2,414 including rent). Montreal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 1% lower in Kelowna. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,294 in Montreal versus $1,349 in Kelowna. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,108 per month in Montreal versus $2,414 in Kelowna – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Montreal runs roughly 53% less than in Kelowna. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,108 in Montreal versus $2,414 in Kelowna, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Kelowna. The gap between the two cities makes Montreal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Montreal and Kelowna are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Montreal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Kelowna. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.